My 427 SOHC Build..... Finally the time has come!

[My427stang]

OK, so 225 won't hurt anything to answer that question, heck even 230.  Water boils at 212 at standard temp, standard pressure, you added antifreeze and pressure, so it won't boil until WAYYYY over that. 

Next, the engine will loosen up and generate less heat as you run it, so that will help coolant temp (which is already just fine) as well as having infinitely more airflow as you drive

Third, you can advance initial timing to 16 or so later (if you need it) and just adjust your total once the engine loosens up, that will also cool more it at idle.  I'd still ask Jay what he recommends for total.

Fourth, the coating will significantly change underhood temps which will make every other part under there cooler than it is now

See where we are going, everything WILL get better once you get some time on it and let it talk to you

Finally, then you can see what it does sitting there idling all day, but honestly, it sounds like yours is doing fine for a fresh tight engine. 

I would just recheck all your clamps after the recent heat cycle, check the oil level, and see what it does.  As far as a passenger, I don't even think you need it, just have a cell phone and go 5 miles, then go 10, then 20, etc.  I think the car is going to do what it needs to now.

You are a very sharp guy, but you cannot predict what it will do, you have everything where it should be, now let the car talk to you on the road. If it overheats at speed, you have a radiator issue, if it overheats at stoplights, you adjust the things above.

Worst thing, if it dies....pull over, call home and have someone come get you.  Although I doubt that will happen.

Time to get froggy and jump buddy   Bigger circles from home if you have to, and choose streets based on places to park and less traffic (if possible in Florida)

[cobracammer]

Will Do Ross.

Also, I wanted to mention....  When I shut the car off from the 30 minute idle session, Hot coolant came back up into the degas bottle from empty to about half way full....  I just went back in the garage to take a look and it is empty again.  I wonder how I can tell when I have enough coolant?  I realize I went from a 1 row radiator to a 3 row, so there will be more coolant needed to make up the difference, but it stinks that I can not see an actual level to ensure its full.

I would like to see the hot coolant level make the level rise in the degas bottle, and then when it cools off all the way, to still see some level of coolant in the bottle.  Unfortunately, this does not seem possible.

Ill go for a ride soon a mile or 2 from the house and report back  :0)

[My427stang]

Here is what I would try

Fire the car with the degas bottle cover off and let it run until the thermostat opens and let the water get hot and expand, don't rev it, just let it idle.

Once its to temp and fills the bottle, top it off to the original warm mark and put the cap on.  Then don't worry about it. it's going to expand when hot, then cool again and drop.

Second, now is the time to think about what will keep you from getting home

1 - Air in tires
2 - Oil level
3 - Tranny oil level
4 - Rear axle gear oil level
5 - Brake fluid
6 - Coolant level
7 - Is it charging?
8 - Belts tight
9 - Clamps tight
10 - Check all fuel lines

If all of those are good, drive it, you'll make it home. 

[cobracammer]

Hopefully tomorrow. Just read online that large ups and downs in the degas bottle is almost definitely air pockets on the system somewhere. Lol. Going to be a few cycles of adding coolant. Overflows. And burping. Lol

[WConley]

Jason -

220 is not at all unreasonable for your application.  At Ford I did a lot of hot weather testing in Arizona during 115 degree summer days.  At sustained heavy loads we would see 250+ coolant temps, and the cars did fine.  These were stock Ford automobiles!  With a good 15 lb cap you should be comfortable at 220.  Just keep an eye on it.  The more important temperature is your oil.  Try to keep that at 250 or better to guard against oxidation and viscosity breakdown.

Ross is correct that coating the headers will help a lot with heat rejection, since a lot more of that thermal energy will now be directed out the exhaust.  A few degrees cooler on the engine side of the radiator makes a huge difference.

You should give yourself a pat on the back.  It's just little issues to sort now on a super impressive project

[My427stang]

Hopefully tomorrow. Just read online that large ups and downs in the degas bottle is almost definitely air pockets on the system somewhere. Lol. Going to be a few cycles of adding coolant. Overflows. And burping. Lol

First, I agree with Bill, you are doing well, keep it up!

I would expect that the air will work it's way out, which adds more coolant and reduces small hot spots, so that can only be better too.  It may take a few runs here and there, cool and refill, but that is what the degas bottle is for.

Just a hunch, but I think I would try to make sure the degas tube you made is pointing up to catch bubbles as they pass along the top of the hose during circulation

Just a WAG, but seems like it would be logical

[cobracammer]

Thanks Ross. I think the air bubbles are not supposed to make it past the radiator. There is a secondary tube that runs from the drivers side of the radiator ( cross flow design) which is supposed to feed air to the degas bottle and the coolant in the bottle replaces the "area" of air removed

I will keep at it:-).

[turbohunter]

We're all still reading along Jason.
Very impressive.
You're going to have the only one of its kind.
Very nice out of box thinking.
Very nice help from our fellows.
Thumbs up.

[cobracammer]

I love this forum. Great people all around!

[foxlincoln]

  Your gonna think I am beating a dead horse about having a bypass.Well here it goes a bypass allows an engine to circulate coolant to warm up at an even pace,if the coolant sat dead in the engine you would have a lot hot spots and how would the hot coolant get to the thermostat? All bypass hose I  have seen go to the thermostat housing.An alum engine needs to warm up evenly.Ford designed systems to fit the engine,as the 96-01 Cobra 4.6 has a system close to what you have.If you make mods to the system they say DO NOT remove the bypass hose.That hose is the one you stated that you put an expansion plug in the thermostat housing.To install in your system you would have to install a hose from that plugged nipple to the upper radiator hose.On my Cobra that hose is about 1 inch in diameter.Water is always flowing,open or closed thermostat.if you take into account your upper hose there are actually a total of 5 hoses in that area of the cooling system the t-stat housing has 4 hoses attached to it. the "hot" side of t-stat has total of 2: one large but short hose going to the water pump inlet, also has one long medium diameter vertical hose going up to the middle part of the crossover tube or in your case the upper hose. "cold" side of the t-stat has total of 2: one large but short hose going to the lower radiator neck. also has one much smaller diameter hose going to the bottom of the recovery tank.I am really trying to help.You have soooo much time and money invested,hate to see problems like this slow you down.A lot of people would have given up by now,your almost there.Get it right and DRIVE IT LIKE STOLE IT!

[foxlincoln]

By the way my name is Terry.

[cobracammer]

Thanks terry. Unfortunately i was trying to adapt a bypass fitting to the cammer engine. The cammer engine does not have a cross over like the modular engines. I took out the bypass saleen thermostat fitting and just T'd into the lower radiator hose for the degas tank.

T should work because the degas tank has a 16 psi cap just like a radiator

If I wanted it to constantly circulate, i would have to tap the intake manifold into a water jacket and run a makeshift "bypass hose" to the nipple on the water pump that was intended for the heater core return

Will try my setup as is for a while and then if it doesnt work, consider something new

Thanks Terry

[foxlincoln]

You would have to tee into the upper radiator hose.The bypass hose on your thermostat housing  is very large,I think its 1 inch diameter.This is what size Ford has determined the bypass should be for a DOHC 4.6 NOT a couple of 3/16 holes in the thermostat.PICTURE THIS.Motor running - thermostat closed water pump turning - the impeller in the pump wants to move water but can't - the 3/16 holes can't flow enough coolant - the impeller churns the coolant  but it won' t move, this can cause erosion of the impeller - coolant does not move in the block causing heat to build in some areas and remain cool in other areas - it takes longer for the hot coolant to reach the thermostat If the t-stat is in the lower housing it would never see any hot coolant without the bypass hose to bring it .If the t-stat is in the manifold it would get hot coolant but would take a long time.By the time hot coolant opens the thermostat the coolant in other parts of the block is well past the boiling point.The only way to run without a bypass  is to gut the thermostat so coolant is always circulating.Iron blocks can take uneven heating, aluminum can't.Please think about this.The bypass of coolant has to happen to allow the the engine to warm up evenly.Gut the thermostat if you are going to run without bypass.

[My427stang]

I think your understanding of the concept is accurate, but I am not sure the engine needs a 5/8 hose bypass.

If it had to do serious work with the thermostat closed, maybe, but it does have a relief now with the drilled hole that will allow fluid to move, and therefore heat to move with the fluid, not only radiating through the water.  That size hole, although not as big as stock, will allow a lot of water to flow

I have seen a lot of BBCs run with theirs blocked, I don't like it, but seen enough last a long time on the street to know it won't hurt the motor.

Certainly not saying you are wrong, but the water won't go stagnant in there, matter of fact its amazing what even a 1/8 hole will move with pump pressure behind it

[cjshaker]

You're going to have the only one of its kind.

Actually there was an SN197 ('04-'09) Mustang stuffed with an SOHC back when they were still new. I can't remember exactly, but I think it may have been a friend of Wayne Jeffers who built it. But since I don't recall it being a Saleen, technically it would still be 1 of 1   As I recall, there were lots of trials and tribulations with that build also, so you're not alone, Jason.